Shards of Amber
by AntigoneValentine
Summary: Seven years after peace has been finally established, something about her life just go wrong. Tangled in sinister conspiracies and an unexpected comeback, what does the future hold but shards of amber and broken hearts? (AthrunXCagalli)
1. Prologue

**Shards Of Amber**

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**All standard disclaimers may apply:** I do not own Gundam Seed/Gundam Seed :Destiny. They belong to their creators and respective licencees.

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**PROLOGUE:**

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The subtle light of the moon at its full gave her pale skin an ethereal glow. Her golden locks swayed with the cool ocean breeze of October. She didn't mind the chill that had been a ghostly caress on her delicateness, as if she had been immunized... even numbed. The water smashing itself to the rocky seaside to where her lone figure stood. She gazed at the water as it reflected the sky's infinite midnight blue, with eyes like shards of amber. The heavens seemed to kiss earth in the far end of the view. It was beautiful and promising...at the same time, she knew full well it has nothing in itself but empty hope. No matter how far you chase after it, you reach no place to meet the skyline.

A tear dropped. She didn't dare ask why. She had known every reasons why... Everything was becoming blur from her vision, not because of a stubborn tear, but because everything had tried to keep were slipping away. She, still standing at the middle of her lost as everything turns out to a vanishing point.

She chuckled bitterly at her own state of chaos. She had been hurting for so long, what made this any different now? Inhaling chokingly the salty air, she looked at her bare feet, where the memorial marker was. Reminding her that she was nothing but an orphan-orphaned by destiny and by herself.

There was the image of her father. His face had never grown old from the fleeting of years. It was etched on her memory like a permanent scar, yet she embraced it like an artful tattoo. It was painfully clear like she was with him just a few moments ago or didn't pass at all. His death was the birth of her newfound life-as the pillar of Orb. Just being an Atha had it's expense. She couldn't blame anyone. She didn't have the power to. Every detail of her had been outlined from the start. All she had to do was to live her life was supposed to and had grown fed up of fighting against its lonely course.

The war, though years ago, had become her ghost. It was never pleasant to recall, at the same time, it had been like a place where she could seek refuge. The people she once held dear and still endearing, with every moment they stole and shared, though from afar and even endlessly distant, was only kept alive by the war's grim memoirs instilled in her memory-in her heart. She could never turn back time nor regained what had been long lost. All she could do at this moment was a little make-believe that everything was fairly the same, though, in a brighter picture. A make-believe that there was no regrets, that there was no one who left, that everything was fine and so was herself...that she was far from crumbling. She wanted to feel no more self-loathing of being so powerless and being lost to her own misery. She wanted to have a taste of what every normal human could be. If she wasn't an Atha, if she was not born of a grief-driven era... If she was simply not herself, everything must've been different.

Slowly, she held her head up to the sky. The stars shivering at the distance, almost sympathetic, as if they're cold; empty like her. She stayed like that for a moment-like a child wishing under the veil of the sky's infinite midnight blue.

She stayed for a long while within the comfortable chill of nature's embrace, content with only of her presence.

The sky was lighting from its dark, as the sun took its time to peek through the skyline, coming into mixture of colors, as the first ray of light gleamed to announce the advent of its full glory.

She knelt down and lay a bouquet of white carnations.

"It won't be long..." she muttered under her breath. She closed her eyes to prevent tears from spilling. She let out a quiet weep, pouring all of her pent up emotions; the anguish she tried so hard to contain. She was afraid to show... She didn't have the right to. But now, nothing of her fancy facade was to restrain her from doing so. She was simply herself. This was the very place and the very moment when nobody was to mock her her of her weakness.

She slowly gathered herself once more. This was ephemeral and it won't be good if she stayed for too long, because at the end of the day, she would always have a duty to work with, a responsibility to fulfill and a nation to carry.

It was not long 'til she stood with her feet again, now a bit more steadier. She made a final intake of the scenery, carving the image in her memory. The wind blew in her direction, not as gentle as it had been moments ago. It made her golden hair and her plain white dress flowed almost weightlessly. She took a deep breath to fill her lungs with the salty sea-air, while a small yet sincere smile graced her lips. There was a hint of resolve within her now.

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AN: Hi there! This only a prologue, a preview... The plot of this story will start to unfold on my next update. And please do leave a review, I'd really appreciate it. :D Thanks for reading! (^.~)


	2. Chapter 1: To a Stop

**Shards of** **Amber **by AntigoneValentine

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**All standard disclaimers may apply:** I do not own Gundam Seed/Gundam Seed :Destiny. They belong to their creators and respective licencees.

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**CHAPTER 1: ****_To a Stop_**

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She kept silent, watching from her seat, not a hint of amusement or interest on her face, not a twitch on her lips or a furrow of her brows as the words were spoken in a heated exchange across the circular table. Her eyes were stern and devoid of any other expression. They shone gold even under the subtle lighting. She scanned their faces with a swift movement of her eyes as did a small smile started to tug at the corner of her pink supple lips.

"I'm afraid I fail to see the problem there, Secretary-general." The voice was a rich contralto that held distinct firmness and austerity, yet it was spoken so smoothly that it sounded pleasing to the ears despite the palpability of its weight. Now every pair of eyes was directed to its owner, of each trying to read through her seemingly impenetrable demeanour.

"What do you mean, Representative Atha?" A man in his mid-thirties was the one to ask, being the first one to regain his composure from the sudden statement of the Orb Chief Representative.

She kept her gaze unwavering, but all the more it became calculative; cunning even. "I believe this nationalist faction we've been discussing, with its apparent motivations and measures should be first dealt solely by the Brazilian government, being it posing a possible threat to their security of governance."

A pregnant silence filled the chamber for a couple of moments. Critical eyes ready to bore a hole. It seemed that everybody had been waiting for a particular sign of uncertainty in her. They had been waiting for what was like a momentum to counter her opinions, finding any weakened spot to strike where it would hurt the most.

"Are you saying, Ms. Atha, that we should keep out of this? You said so yourself, your grace, that this may pose a threat in the government." An authoritative masculine voice cut through the silence. His face was proud and hinted with deceitfulness. "Should we turn a blind eye? What happened to the unity we are advocating for?"

"I second his opinion, Representative Atha." Another voice boomed from across the circular table with equal conviction. "This is may not just be a simple nationalist faction, we aren't sure yet of their plans. Who knows, if we fail to pacify the tension now, this may lead to a bigger diplomatic conflict." He argued. He was flustered. It was written all over his face.

The sight of their defensiveness amused the princess. She chuckled darkly to herself. These men, evidently, would pay just to see her falter or at least frown.

"I would like to clarify my intentions, gentlemen. I didn't mean to offend any of you nor do I go against our sworn principle." She started carefully; her words were distinct that it's impossible to miss any of what she said. "What I would like to say is that, any unnecessary intervention from us, on any sensitive issue of a particular state will pose a greater problem." Her composure was perfect; it made her statement seemed free of flaws.

"If we deliberately be involved, this will send off the message that we've been supporting a particular political party. And it is rather a compromising situation. As you know, this nationalist faction isn't necessarily terroristic, supported by the fact that it is co-related to the Brazilian minority, note you, including people of the Senate." She continued, letting the weight of her words roll off her tongue so easily. "And in any case, Prime Minister Gotye, are you insinuating the Brazilian government isn't capable enough to handle its conflicts?" Her tone held oddly enough, a mixture of sarcasm and amusement.

The addressed Prime Minister now had barely noticeable beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His mouth ran dry. He was caught off guard indeed, by this fiery princess across from him. He pursed his lips into a tight line, mentally berating himself for not being careful enough.

"No, Ms. Atha. What he was saying is that if we don't take actions, it will grow worse than it already is." A man, wearing a crisp set of navy-coloured suit with the emblem of the Atlantic Federation, fortunately tried to defend his side.

"It will grow worse. And that's, if we decide to meddle with the situation rather than act as mediators." The only female among the board, who was undoubtedly the Orb princess, quickly rebutted his weak rebuttal.

The air became dense. It was rather claustrophobic despite the spaciousness of the conference hall. There were unsettling murmurs in the thin air, making it difficult for one to breathe. The tension was evident, but no one was willing to back down either.

"Please gentlemen," a man, who seemed about the age of the Orb Chief Representative, began. His pleasant baritone was soft and somewhat reassuring, yet it was lucid had not lost either its masculine or professional undertone. "The princess is not saying we must not take actions at all. You know, it is a very sensitive case and our grounds are on the line." He added in a lighter tone; a small lopsided grin played at his lips. His blue eyes settled in Cagalli's amber gaze. "I must agree with Ms. Atha. If we continue to delve with the issue, the public might see our actions as biased. And this is not a good image. In which, any failure to justify our intentions, the years we've dedicated to make things out, will be put to naught."

There were nods and shakes of head. It was rather safe to say that the chamber was split in opinions. But by the looks of it, the minority, which was the where the Orb Representative stood, was gaining a good count of approval.

"And of course none of us would like to jeopardize our efforts."

"It is better if we stay at bay. With that we do not mean, we will turn a blind eye, we will take actions what we deem is right and of course at the right time."

The chamber had come to life with voiced agreements to the proposed measure. Cagalli, however, took no pleasure with what was happening or at least it did not show in her demeanour. It was evident that she had swayed the board to her liking. Her golden eyes, remained fixated to the man who had calmed the storm—the man with _calming blue eyes._

"We can always keep track of the situation without barging in to the issue," came the new voice that had gathered everyone's attention in split seconds. It was the man in his late-thirties, who was unmistakably clad in a PLANTs Regent uniform.

"And with that, I am with Representative Atha." The PLANTs Supreme Council Chairman he is.

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-0-

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Every corner was filled with the blinding array of dancing bright lights in vivid colours. The grand and overwhelmingly pleasant melody played by a philharmonic orchestra gave off a lifting air. It was a night of festivity—flashy ball gowns, crisp dress suits and practised smiles plastered on their faces fitting to the fashionable society enclosed within the four corners of the massive function hall. It was the night to show off the glimmer that was blinding—dangling, decorating their necks, wrists and ears in luxurious cuts. Chats floating in the air; measured and calculated most often. Some were caught in a heated but hushed argument, who would dare ruin the beautiful night anyway?

It had been 7 years since the peace was restored. The wars and whatever they had brought were carved like permanent scar; haunting and taunting. The bitterness and the glory of it all, ironic as it seemed, were painted in the canvass of history, only its brush were smudged in the lucid crimson of blood; extracted from nameless countless lives. But humanity as we talk, would never cease its struggle to fit in, at the memory of the horrid date of St. Valentine's, under the veil of the infinite sky, humanity had pledged to protect its _humanity_.

It was a valentine night, but not bloody and hopefully would never be. They had placed merriment in its stead—that was what the gala for. A social function to commemorate the instilled unity in preservation of the peace many had dedicated their lives for. Of course, it was a common knowledge that people in attendance were surely of prominence in the social hierarchy—people of the government, bureaucrats and socialites to fill the marble floorings of the hall.

_"The Orb Chief Representative has arrived, her grace, Cagalli Yula Atha."_

The voice came to announce the name that put _someone's_ heart beating _to a stop_.

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AN: I finally got to post the first chapter! It has been sitting on my hard drive for quite a while now. sorry. :D My work and university schedule have been keeping me. I promise the next update will be posted sooner than later and surely, there will be AsuCaga moments (been gushing just thinking about it hehehe) on my next update.

Please excuse my grammar. I know my English sucks, but please bear with it.

Thanks a bunch to those who reviewed! (FTS-Peace, popcaga, Yennefer,falconrukichi, Banananess, Ryuukou):D

please leave me some reviews! I'd definitely be glad if you did. Ciao!

-Antigone Valentine


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